How to use check box content controls in a Word document

3 years ago 249

Check boxes connection a elemental ocular mode to denote state: connected oregon off, existent oregon false, and truthful on, and they're easier to usage than ever before!

We're each acquainted with cheque boxes. We've been utilizing them each our lives, adjacent earlier physics forms came into existence. Technically, an physics cheque container power is simply a ocular practice of a binary state, specified arsenic connected and off, existent oregon false, and truthful on. One glimpse and you cognize the state. In this article, we'll enactment done a elemental illustration utilizing cheque container controls successful Word to denote attendance. Instead of speechmaking done a database of names, with the connection contiguous oregon not present, you tin rapidly glean who is contiguous and who isn't by viewing the cheque container controls.

I'm utilizing Microsoft 365 connected a Windows 10 64-bit system, but you tin usage earlier versions done 2010. For your convenience, you tin download the objection .docx file. Word Online volition show existing cheque container controls and their state, but you can't alteration the state.

SEE: Windows 11: Tips connected installation, information and much (free PDF) (TechRepublic)

Denoting attendance

Using cheque container contented controls couldn't beryllium easier now. Figure A shows 3 elemental cheque boxes followed by participants Mary, Tom, and June. You tin make this signifier rapidly capable arsenic follows:

Position the cursor successful the papers wherever you privation to insert the archetypal cheque box.
Click the Developer tab.
In the Controls group, click the Check Box Content Control icon. Doing truthful volition insert a cheque container successful edit mode. We don't privation to alteration immoderate of the default properties for now, truthful property the Right Arrow cardinal doubly to exit the control.
Press the Tab cardinal and participate Mary. Strictly speaking, the tab isn't necessary, but adding a small abstraction volition amended readability.
Insert 2 much controls, 1 for Tom and 1 for June.

Figure A

Wasn't that easy? The signifier is instantly acceptable to use. Simply cheque oregon uncheck, appropriately! For instance, successful Figure B, Tom didn't be the November 18th meeting. You tin besides people the database and cheque the controls manually.

Figure B

You mightiness person noticed that the cheque container displays an X to denote a Yes/On/True state. You tin alteration that to a much accepted cheque people if you like.

SEE: How to usage the galore substance wrapping options successful Microsoft Word (TechRepublic)

Changing the cheque container

An X mightiness not beryllium the mode you privation to denote attendance. After all, it could beryllium misunderstood arsenic not successful attendance. Fortunately, you tin easy alteration the X to a much accepted cheque people arsenic follows.

Click the Developer tab.
In the Controls group, click Design mode. Doing truthful volition alteration the quality of the cheque container controls (Figure C).
Select the 1 for Mary and past click Properties successful the Controls group. The resulting dialog volition show respective properties. You mightiness privation to research them each astatine a aboriginal time.
In the Check Box Properties conception (at the bottom) click Change to the close of the Checked Symbol option. Doing truthful opens the Symbols dialog, which you mightiness already beryllium acquainted with.
Choose Wingdings from the Font dropdown.
Browse down until you find the 2 alternate cheque marks shown successful Figure C.
Choose one, click OK to insert it, and past click OK to instrumentality to the document.
You're inactive successful plan mode, truthful click Design Mode.

Figure C

Simply click Mary's cheque container power to show the selected cheque people (step 7) to spot the much accepted cheque mark. However, announcement that the bounding container is gone. If you take the 2nd cheque people successful measurement 7, you'll proceed to spot the bounding bound (Figure D). You'll privation to usage the aforesaid cheque mark; I'm conscionable redeeming a fig by showing you some successful the aforesaid screenshot.

Figure D

This elemental illustration uses cheque container controls to denote attendance. Attending members get a click; an bare cheque container represents an absent member. You could besides usage them to way to-do items, task benchmarks, and truthful on.

A connection connected enactment for older controls

Although bequest controls and adjacent immoderate ActiveX controls are inactive available, I urge utilizing contented controls due to the fact that enactment for the older sets could extremity without overmuch notice; realistically, I don't spot that happening soon successful documents. However, immoderate web-based documents should usage the newer controls and not ActiveX. Internet Explorer volition astir apt beryllium retired successful 2022, and currently, Edge doesn't enactment ActiveX. It's improbable it ever volition enactment these outdated controls.